In order to accomplish audio editing, it is known to use an audio follow mixer to control a plurality of multi-channel devices, such as VTRs. It is also known that an editor may be advantageously used to control the mixer via an editor interface to enable various VTR functions, such as PREVIEW/REVIEW and FADE UP/DOWN.
Generally, in a mixer system, a mixer is connected to a plurality of devices such at VTRs or other multi-channel devices. The mixer may also be connected to an editor via an editor interface to permit editor control of the mixer. In this way, the editor may be used to control the processing of the various signals introduced into the mixer.
However, prior systems are limited in that many mixers are designed to edit signals from devices exclusively using the same number of channels. For example, an editor may be limited in controlling input to a mixer from devices all of which have only two channels. In order to circumvent this limitation, it is possible to use hard wire jumpers. However, this solution has the drawback of being time-consuming and complicated, especially where several devices are used. Each time a different device is introduced, for example, a two-channel device replacing a four-channel device, rewiring becomes necessary.
A scheme incorporating an improved method of configuring such mixer systems is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,771, which utilizes a configuration selector to choose a desired configuration of multi-channel devices. This permits configuration selection in conjunction with a video editor.
While allowing the use of various combinations of multi-channel devices, the improved scheme of U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,771 is limited in versatility in that each multi-channel device must be assigned to a particular series of mixer channels. For example, a four channel VTR might be assigned to mixer channels 1, 2, 3 and 4 when, at times, it may be desired that the VTR be coupled to mixer channels 1, 2, 5 and 6, reserving channels 3 and 4 for other uses.
This limitation of prior mixer systems is more pronounced when a modular type of mixer is used. In such a mixer, various types of modules can be easily substituted to increase the possible uses of the mixer system. For example, ten bays of a mixer may be used to accept all monaural modules, or selected monaural modules may be replaced with stereo modules or dual modules. However, this creates a difficulty in providing access for associated multi-channel devices to all functions which may be performed by the mixer system. For example, a difficulty arises in providing an associated VTR access to the voltage controlled attenuator (VCA) and preview lines in a mixer while retaining the flexibility provided by a modular system.
Thus, there is a need to provide a more flexible mixer system in which various configurations of associated multi-channel devices may be selected. More particularly, there is a need to provide a mixer system which better utilizes the versatility provided by a video editor used to control a modular type mixer. There is a need to ensure that various combinations of multi-channel devices used in a mixer system may access the full range of signal processing functions provided by the mixer system. Finally, there is a need to provide a simple method of selecting a VTR to be associated with each of a plurality of mixer input modules without using a fixed or preprogrammed configuration scheme.